'His mother literally slept through the labor process as there was no pain to her. The Buddha was born in a similar way and the Suttas report that all samma-sam-buddhas are born with no pain to the mother...Tibetan lamas have often looked for people with such birth events for locating the rebirth of famous Rinpoches.The birth-event may simply shed some light on his future role...''

I know the article on Dr.Snyder's website adds 'Dr. Snyder makes no claim to being fully enlightened or to being any famous guru, reborn.',..but didn't you actually write this article about yourself, Dr. Snyder? Please would you clear this up and let us know if you are really a tulku or an arhat.

Dr. Snyder makes no claim to being fully enlightened or to being any famous guru, reborn. The birth-event may simply shed some light on his future role and possible kammic fate as a Dhamma teacher in this life.

Being a hidden 'famous guru, reborn' is not the same as claiming to be such. The phrase 'future role and possible kammic fate' means he has the option in this life to be an important Dhamma teacher, which of course only applies to those who are 'a famous guru, reborn.' Perhaps, its secret and I shouldn't ask about such things on an open forum?

'Dr. Snyder makes no claim to being fully enlightened or to being any famous guru, reborn.'

This comes up every now and then and some get quite upset about it. It has come up here and in other forums and one guy even wrote a whole blog attacking me about it coincidentally (haha) within hours after being banned at the Mahayana Dharma Wheel forum which is affiliated with this forum. I had no contact with him in any of the interactions and he was banned for violating the terms of service on issues not dealing with me whatsoever. He even called me (after being banned) a "cult leader". I have gotten used to it. Maybe it is good you brought it up so I can answer this again for some who are so concerned about it.

It is quite common for authors to list their educational credentials, accomplishments, etc. to justify if you will their 'ability' to write the book. All authors do this. If they refuse, the publishers usually insist upon it. Some can call it conceit, bragging, etc. but never the less it is seen as necessary to show that the author has some credentials to write a book. The words in the quote above say it all "no claim to being fully enlightened or to being any famous guru, reborn" yet there is still some who get upset with the statements. I have left it there out of respect for my parents who were not Buddhists, yet quite amazed and proud of the birth event and mentioned it to all their friends and relatives. If some trolls, banned members still have difficulty with the claims, that is something they will have to examine for themselves and see the source of the aversion and deal with their mind-states. During an introductory thread here, other members noted that they also had similar birth, with little to no pain from their mother. It is also common among some traditional cultures where the birth is attempted to be performed with little pain. So it is not quite as unique as some might think and therefore, perhaps not such a big deal.

Another person complained that the article is written in the third person. It is a wiki, encyclopedia article. All encyclopedia articles are written in the third-person. Are there even any encyclopedia articles not written in the third-person? I have not seen one.

Another person said I was claiming or implicitly claiming to be Maitreya (Metteyya). Ridiculous, of course since according to Buddhism, Metteyya currently resides in the Tusita heaven waiting for when the Dhamma dies out in some distant future time. The last time I checked, Las Vegas is not in the Tusita heaven nor has the Dhamma died out yet. Also, there can be no claim of being an arahant or fully enlightened since according to the bio itself there are the words in the quote above about not making that claim and an arahant cannot deliberately lie.

I find this line a little odd "The birth-event may simply shed some light on his future role and possible kammic fate as a Dhamma teacher in this life.". I imagined it was meant as a light hearted jape, which didn't quite work.

That was just mentioned to to further ally with the fact that I am not claiming enlightenment. As mentioned in my post above, it is very common for authors to list their educational credentials, accomplishments, etc. to justify if you will their 'ability' to write the book. Virtually all authors have an 'About the author' page which lists their educational credentials, accomplishments, etc., including monks and nuns.

David N. Snyder wrote:[(...) He even called me (after being banned) a "cult leader"(...)

Lord Snyder, what shall we, your disciples, do next? Flood their houses with metta? Kill the anger in them? Steal their ignorance?

MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

Painless births happen, though they're rare, and they probably mean more about the mother than the child. Hearing anyone blab about the miraculousness of their birth can be fairly nauseating, but at least David makes up for it.

David, Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude for Dhamma Wheel and all the work you do maintaining the site.Much merit to you, my friend.with metta,

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

Dr. Snyder makes no claim to being fully enlightened or to being any famous guru, reborn. The birth-event may simply shed some light on his future role and possible kammic fate as a Dhamma teacher in this life.

I actually thought the inclusion of that statement was an expression of a wry sense of humour. Still do, really.

Interesting that your Mum slept through the labour process, did she seriously experience no pain whatsoever? I don't know if it's something I'd mention in my 'About the author' section if it had happened during my birth - All these examples you have mentioned, and the OP in this thread itself would more than enough drama and trouble for my liking.

mettaJack

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Thanks guys for the kind words and for those who made negative comments too, always something there to test the equanimity. I learned a long time ago that no matter what you do, you will face some criticism in life, no big deal. My father always said "consider the source" and so I do. Here are some other good quotes related to criticism:

"I entered the meditation hall and bowed; later one person praised the simplicity and beauty of the bow I made; another complained viciously how dare I participate in such a 'backward religious act'."--Sharon Salzberg

“Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.”― Andy Warhol

David Chapman wrote:When I was about 25, I had published some scientific papers, and was getting to be known in an international academic community. I was full of piss and vinegar; testosterone, rebellion, and altogether too much cleverness. I wanted to tear down an intellectual establishment that seemed corrupt, hidebound, and befogged by holy dogmas and hidden assumptions. I was quite rude, in print, to researchers whose ideas I thought were WRONG WRONG WRONG.Then I started going to conferences, and I met many of the scientists who I previously knew only from their academic publications. Most of them were nothing like what I had imagined based on their work. Their personalities did not seem to match up with their writings.I remember in particular meeting one researcher whose papers I had savaged. He was kind and friendly. It turned out that we had a shared love of birds, and we had an enjoyable discussion of corvids [ravens and their allies]. I felt quite ashamed, but also grateful for having learned something.https://meaningness.wordpress.com/2012/ ... buddhists/

As the above quote shows from the linked article, scholars and authors write or display their credentials to show their worthiness for writing and to be taken at least somewhat seriously, but when you get to know them people find they are nice and down to earth.

BlackBird wrote: All these examples you have mentioned, and the OP in this thread itself would more than enough drama and trouble for my liking.

I agree, there are much more important things to discuss and continuing this would be like engaging in gossip, clearly not wholesome and end up being a tail-chaser, so we will close this for now.